💶EU 'could consider' UK joining pan-Europe customs scheme

The European Union's new trade chief responsible for post-Brexit negotiations has told the BBC that a "pan-European [customs] area is something we could consider" as part of "reset" discussions between the UK and EU.

Maros Sefcovic referred to the idea of the UK joining the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean Convention (PEM).

These are common rules that allow parts, ingredients and materials for manufacturing supply chains to be sourced from across dozens of countries in Europe and North Africa to be used in tariff-free trade.

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🇨🇦Canada changes tone in bid to stave off Trump tariffs

Facing a looming tariff war with the US, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has threatened the stick - now, he's hoping a carrot will work.

In a change of tone from his previous warnings about economic hardships, the Canadian leader is promising to help Donald Trump achieve America's "golden age," which was alluded to in the US president's inauguration speech.

"Canada is a safe, secure and reliable partner in an uncertain world," Trudeau said this week. The alternative, he said, "would be more resources from Russia, China or Venezuela".

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🇸🇰Slovak PM accuses opposition of planning coup to topple him

Slovakia's populist prime minister, Robert Fico, has claimed opposition forces are planning a "Maidan"-style coup in Slovakia, referring to the popular uprising that toppled Ukraine's pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych in 2014.

Fico, who survived an assassination attempt last May, quoted from what he said was a classified report ahead of an opposition-sponsored motion of no-confidence in his government on Tuesday.

His claim coincided with a visit by Hungary's prime minister, Viktor Orban.

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🇬🇧Sun owner to pay Prince Harry 'substantial' damages

The publisher of the Sun newspaper has agreed to pay "substantial damages" and apologised to the Duke of Sussex to settle a long-running legal battle over claims of unlawful intrusion into his life.

Prince Harry alleged journalists and private investigators working for News Group Newspapers (NGN) used unlawful techniques to pry on his private life - and executives then allegedly covered it up.

NGN apologised for "serious intrusion" by the Sun between 1996 and 2011, and admitted "incidents of unlawful activity" were carried out by private investigators working for the newspaper, in a statement read out in court.

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🇹🇭Watch: 'I do', say Thai couples as country legalises same-sex marriage

More than 100 couples got married at Siam Paragon, a luxury mall in central Bangkok on Thursday as the law came into effect.

LGBTQ couples now have the same rights as other couples to manage assets, inherit, adopt and take decisions about their partner's medical treatment

Districts across Thailand are trying to outdo one another with parties and gifts like cupcakes, bags and free air tickets to celebrate the legal milestone.

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🇯🇵Bank of Japan raises rates to highest in 17 years

Japan's central bank has increased the cost of borrowing to its highest level in 17 years after consumer price rises accelerated in December.

The move by the Bank of Japan (BOJ) to raise its short-term policy rate to "around 0.5 per cent" comes just hours after the latest economic data showed prices rose last month at the fastest pace in 16 months.

The BOJ's last interest rate hike in July, along with a weak jobs report from the US, caught investors around the world by surprise, which triggered a stock market selloff.

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🇿🇦South African president signs controversial land seizure law

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed into law a bill allowing land seizures by the state without compensation - a move that has put him at odds with some members of his government.

Black people only own a small fraction of farmland nationwide more than 30 years after the end of the racist system of apartheid - the majority remains with the white minority.

This has led to frustration and anger over the slow pace of reform.

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🇸🇰Tens of thousands protest in Slovakia against PM Fico

Tens of thousands of people throughout Slovakia are demonstrating against the government of Prime Minister Robert Fico, defying his warnings that provocateurs linked to the liberal opposition would use the protests to bring about a coup.

Rallies are being held in some 25 Slovak towns and cities, the latest in a series of protests against his populist-nationalist coalition.

Protesters are angry at what they say is Fico undermining the country's institutions, culture and position in the EU and Nato, especially his increasing attacks on Ukraine and rapprochement with Moscow.

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🇺🇸Pete Hegseth confirmed as US defence secretary in tie-breaking vote

Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump's nominee for US defence secretary, was confirmed by the Senate late on Friday night, after facing misconduct allegations that nearly derailed his confirmation.

Vice-President JD Vance cast the tie-breaking vote in Hegseth's favour, after three Republican senators - including former Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell - voted against him.

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⚠️Watch: Moment four Israeli hostages released by Hamas

Video from Gaza City shows four Israeli hostages being handed over by Hamas militants and transferred into waiting Red Cross vehicles.

Soldiers Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy - all three aged 20 - and Liri Albag, 19 were taken by Hamas from a military base at the Israel-Gaza border.

This is the second part of a hostage release and prisoner swap between Israel and Hamas since a ceasefire was agreed earlier this month.

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🇺🇸US orders immediate pause to foreign aid, leaked memo says

The US State Department has issued a halt to nearly all existing foreign assistance and paused new aid, according to an internal memo sent to officials and US embassies abroad.

The leaked notice follows President Trump's executive order issued on Monday for a 90-day pause in foreign development assistance pending a review of efficiencies and consistency with his foreign policy.

The United States is the world's biggest international aid donor spending $68bn in 2023 according to government figures. The State Department notice appears to affect everything from development assistance to military aid.

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🇧🇾'God forbid we should end up like Ukraine': Belarusians indifferent to election

The outcome of the 2025 presidential election is not in doubt. Alexander Lukashenko, once dubbed "Europe's last dictator," who has ruled Belarus with an iron fist for more than 30 years, will be declared the winner and secure a seventh term in office.

His supporters call it an exercise in "Belarusian democracy". His opponents reject the process as "a farce".

Even Mr Lukashenko himself claims to lack interest in the process.

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West Bank celebrations as freed Palestinian prisoners return

Israel said it freed 200 Palestinian prisoners on Saturday, but 70 of the most serious offenders who were convicted of multiple murders are set to be deported.

Earlier four Israeli hostages returned to Israel after they were handed over to the Red Cross by Hamas in Gaza City.

It is the second part of an Israeli hostage release and Palestinian prisoner swap since a ceasefire was agreed earlier this month.

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🇵🇱Poland warns against restarting Russia gas supplies

Poland's president has said that gas flows from Russia to Western Europe should never be restored, even if Russia and Ukraine reach a peace deal.

Andrzej Duda told the BBC that the Nord Stream gas pipelines, which have not been used since 2022, "should be dismantled".

This, he said, would mean the likes of Germany would not be tempted to restore Russian supplies to boost its own struggling economy.

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🇨🇴🇺🇸Colombia backs down on deportation flights after Trump tariffs threat

The US will not go ahead with tariffs on Colombia, after Bogota agreed to accept - without restrictions - deported migrants, the White House says.

Donald Trump had ordered 25% tariffs on all Colombian goods after its president barred two US military deportation flights from landing in the country on Sunday.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro had initially responded by saying his country would accept repatriated citizens on "civilian planes, without treating them like criminals".

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🇹🇭Bangkok tackles smog with week-long free public transport

Thai authorities have made public transport in Bangkok free for one week, in an attempt to reduce the number of private cars on the roads and tackle air pollution.

Smog has already led to hundreds of school closures and employees working from home.

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🇩🇰Denmark to spend billions more on Arctic security

Denmark has said it will spend 14.6 billion kroner (£1.6bn; $2.05bn) to boost security in the Arctic region, in partnership with its autonomous territories Greenland and the Faroe Islands.

The deal includes three new Arctic ships, more long-range drones with advanced image acquisition capacity and stronger satellite capacity.

"We must face the fact that there are serious challenges regarding security and defence in the Arctic and North Atlantic," Denmark's Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said.

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⚠️Coca-Cola recalls drinks over safety concerns

Coca-Cola has recalled its drinks in some countries across Europe because they contain "higher levels" of a chemical called chlorate.

The firm said in a statement that the recall was focused on Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. It added just five product lines had been shipped to Britain, and they had already been sold.

Affected products include the Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Tropico and Minute Maid brands, according to the Belgium branch of Coca-Cola's international bottling and distribution operation.

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🇺🇸Trump signs orders focused on reshaping US military

US President Donald Trump has signed several executive orders focused on reshaping the US military.

One order signed late on Monday bans diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in the military. It will remove the use of race- or sex-based preferences in the armed forces, the Defense Department and the Homeland Security Department.

Another reinstates more than 8,000 service members who were discharged for refusing to get the Covid-19 vaccine.

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🇩🇰Danish PM in whirlwind EU trip as Greenland unease grows

Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen visited three European capitals on Tuesday, days after US President Donald Trump reiterated his interest in acquiring Greenland.

Over the space of a day, Frederiksen met with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin, French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris and Nato leader Mark Rutte in Brussels.

Although the leaders were said to have discussed issues including Ukraine and hybrid Russian attacks in the Baltic Sea, the Danish PM's whirlwind trip betrayed the nervousness felt in Denmark over Trump's repeated comments.

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🇺🇸🇮🇱Israel's Netanyahu invited to meet Trump at White House next week

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet US President Donald Trump at the White House next week.

Netanyahu's office said the visit would take place on 4 February and that he was the first foreign leader to be invited to the White House during Trump's second term.

A White House official confirmed there would be a meeting early next week, but said the date and time had yet to be finalised.

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